NEW CONSTRAINTS FOR INFLUENCING THE IOC

Rules of Conduct for the Olympic Games 2024 Bid Process

Article 1 Scope of application

1.1 These Rules of Conduct are applicable as soon as they are published on the IOC website. They replace the previous Rules in force and incorporate the spirit of the Olympic Agenda 2020 adopted by the 127th IOC Session in December 2014. The candidature procedure is constituted of three phases: the Invitation phase, the Applicant City phase and the Candidate City phase.

The NOC of the country of each city participating in one or any of the three procedural phases must respect these Rules of Conduct at all times. The NOC is responsible for the activities and conduct of the city/cities until the election of the Host City by the Session. The NOC is also responsible for informing about the content of these Rules and ensuring they are respected by any person, individually or acting within an organisation, participating in the candidature procedure, on behalf of a city or supporting it.

The Applicant and Candidate Cities (the City and the Bid Committee) must respect these Rules of Conduct and ensure that they are respected by any person, individually or acting within an organisation, participating in the candidature procedure, on behalf of a city or supporting it.

1.2 These Rules of Conduct also apply to members of the IOC, the IOC administration, the Evaluation Commission, other National Olympic Committees, International Federations and IOC-recognised organisations, as well as to any person or organisation participating in any way in the candidature procedure, including consultants.

Article 2 Fundamental principles

The purpose of these Rules of Conduct is to ensure an honest and fair procedure for all the cities, exempt from any external influence, with equal conditions and opportunities for each candidature and the absence of any risk of conflicts of interests. The Rules of Conduct are supplemented by the provisions of the “Applicant and Candidate City Procedure” established by the IOC. Any non-compliance with this Procedure shall constitute a breach of these Rules.

The bodies or persons mentioned in article 1 above must refrain from any approach to a constituent of the Olympic Movement or a third-party authority with the aim of obtaining financial, political or other support which is not compliant with the candidature procedure established by the IOC and the present Rules.

The conduct of all the persons mentioned in article 1 above must be in full compliance with the principles and provisions of the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and its implementing provisions.

Article 3 Statement of competitions and Olympic meetings

The NOC of each Applicant City shall provide the IOC Ethics and Compliance Office with a list of international Olympic sports competitions and meetings of IOC recognised organisations taking place on its territory.

This list concerns all the international events scheduled, or in the process of being scheduled, between the date of publication of the present Rules on the IOC website and the date of the host city election. This list must be provided within two months of the date of publication by the IOC of the list of Applicant Cities (namely before 16 November 2015). Any addition to this list of another international Olympic sports competition or a meeting of an IOC-recognised organisation must be submitted beforehand to the Ethics and Compliance Office for approval.

Furthermore, between the date of publication of the present Rules and the election of the host city by the Session, no new meeting of an IOC-recognised organisation involving a significant number of IOC members may be organised on the territory of a country of a city wishing to host the Olympic Games.

Article 4 Statement of assistance provided to the NOCs

The NOC of each Applicant City shall provide the Ethics and Compliance Office with a list of all the agreements with other NOCs (including assistance programmes of any nature) existing on the date of publication of the present Rules on the IOC website.

This list must be provided within two months of the date of publication by the IOC of the list of Applicant Cities (namely before 16 November 2015). Any new agreement of any nature with an NOC made after the date of publication of the present Rules on the IOC website must be submitted beforehand to the Ethics and Compliance Office for approval.

Article 5 Registration of consultants and Declaration of consultants

5.1 All consultants, individuals or companies, participating in or supporting a candidature in any way must be entered in the IOC’s Register of consultants. The NOC and/or the city may use the services only of the consultants entered in the Register of consultants taking part in the candidature procedure for the Olympic Games 2024.

This entry in the Register must take place prior to any provision of service and/or any consultant being hired for the candidature by the NOC and/or the city. The NOC and/or the city are responsible for ensuring that this entry has taken place before signing any consultancy agreement or the provision of any service by a consultant.

The purpose of entry in the Register is to ensure that the consultant undertakes, as an individual or on behalf of a company and on behalf of any person acting in their name, to respect the IOC’s ethical principles, the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and its implementing provisions, especially the Rules of Conduct for the Olympic Games Bid Process concerned and the Rules Concerning Conflicts of Interests.

Any non-compliance with these texts by a consultant may result in the application of a measure or sanction against the consultant, as specified in article 14 of these Rules of Conduct, in particular withdrawal from the Register.

5.2 The conditions for the entry of consultants in the Register are set forth in a specific set of regulations (see Appendix 1). The IOC’s Register of consultants will be public. The NOC and/or the city must check on a regular basis whether the list of consultants involved in their candidature is accurate, and inform the Ethics and Compliance Office of any change to the information on the list.

Article 6 Promotion

6.1 Throughout the whole procedure, the promotion of a candidature shall take place with dignity and moderation. The City and its NOC are entirely responsible for all forms of promotion. The “Applicant and Candidate City Procedure” established by the IOC contains specific provisions concerning promotional activities during international events in which the IOC participates. Promotion must respect the provisions of the “Applicant and Candidate City Procedure”.

6.2 National promotion. National promotion is possible at any time, subject to respect of these Rules of Conduct.

6.3 International promotion by Candidate Cities. After submitting their candidature files, namely January 2017, the Candidate Cities may promote their candidature at an international level. However, unless the IOC grants specific authorisation, no form of promotion may be undertaken either on the territory of Switzerland at any time  or on that of the country hosting the Session during the three weeks before the day of the vote.

Any form of promotion (advertising, public relations work, use of social networks, etc.) is to be undertaken by the Candidate Cities themselves, excluding all third parties.

To provide them with the opportunity to address all the principal stakeholders of the Olympic Movement, the Candidate Cities will be invited to make presentations during certain meetings, the list of which is specified in the “Applicant and Candidate City Procedure”.

Article 7 Relations with sponsors

7.1 In order to preserve the integrity and neutrality of the procedure, TOP Sponsors and other IOC marketing partners shall refrain from supporting or promoting any of the bids. Consequently, cities may not solicit or accept any such support or promotion from TOP Sponsors and other IOC marketing partners.

7.2 Throughout the candidature procedure, until the election of the host city by the Session, the Applicant and Candidate Cities’ sponsors or donors may not conclude any new contract of any kind in support of an organisation recognised by the IOC when there is a risk of a conflict of interests.

Article 8 Relations with International Federations (IFs)

If there are working visits by the IFs, the conditions for these visits are defined in the “Applicant and Candidate City Procedure”; and they must be strictly respected by the NOCs and the Cities as well as by the IFs. For these visits, a sense of moderation must be respected, particularly concerning hospitality and accommodation.

No form of Candidate City promotion or advertising is permitted in any IF publication and cities may not take or be offered a promotional stand at IF events.

Article 9 Relations with the media

The Candidate Cities may organise working visits for media representatives, entirely at the cost of such representatives.

Article 10 Relations with IOC members

10.1 There shall be no visits by IOC members to the cities, or by the cities to IOC members. If an IOC member has to travel to a city for any reason, he or she shall inform the Ethics and Compliance Office beforehand. The city may not take advantage of this occasion to promote its candidature, nor cover the costs and other expenses linked to such a visit, in particular travel and accommodation.

10.2 Only after submitting their candidature files, namely January 2017, may the Candidate Cities promote their candidatures with IOC members, either on the occasion of international events or international competitions, or by sending written documentation.

No other form of promotion is authorised from the date of publication of the list of the Applicant Cities until that of the host city election; in particular, IOC members may not:

– be invited to any form of reception linked to the promotion of a candidature;

– be contacted by the ambassadors of the countries concerned with a view to promoting the candidature;

– receive honorary diplomas or official decorations from a city or a representative of a city’s country.

10.3 In order to respect the neutrality of the IOC members, the cities may not use the name or image of an IOC member, an IOC honorary member or an IOC honour member, except for the members from the country of the city concerned.

To respect the same principle, the IOC members must refrain from making any public declaration in favour of one or another of the candidatures.

Article 11 Gifts

No gifts, of whatever value, may be given to or received by IOC members or any other person or organisation mentioned in article 1.

No invitation, to any sporting or other events that includes accommodation and/or transport, may be given to or accepted by an IOC member or any other person or organisation mentioned in article 1.

No advantage or promise of an advantage may be made to or accepted by an IOC member or any other person or organisation mentioned in article 1.

These prohibitions shall be respected by the cities and their NOCs as well as by all those acting on behalf of or supporting the candidature. The same prohibitions apply to the cities’ relations with third parties, in particular the media and organisations recognised by the IOC.

Article 12 Relations between cities

Each city shall, in all circumstances and at all times, respect the other cities as well as the IOC members and the IOC itself. The cities shall refrain from any act or comment likely to tarnish the image of a rival city or be prejudicial to it. Any comparison with other cities is strictly forbidden.

To ensure respect between Candidate Cities, they may not take part in any debate between each other.

No agreement, coalition nor collusion between the cities or their NOCs aimed at influencing the result of the host city election is permitted.

Article 13 Election of the host city

The IOC Ethics Commission supervises the host city election procedure, in accordance with the provisions made by the IOC.

Article 14 Interpretation and Sanctions

14.1 All questions concerning the Rules of Conduct and matters concerning their interpretation shall be addressed to the Ethics and Compliance Office.

Minor breaches of the Rules of Conduct will be dealt with by the Ethics and Compliance Office:

– a first minor breach will result in a confidential observation, in writing, to the city concerned;

– a second minor breach will result in a written notification to the members of the IOC Executive Board and the other Cities.

In the event of serious or repeated breaches of the Rules of Conduct, the Ethics and Compliance Office may refer these to the Ethics Commission with a view to recommending sanctions to the Executive Board.

The IOC members will be informed, in writing, of any sanctions imposed by the IOC Executive Board. A press release will also be issued.

14.2 The measures or sanctions possible are mainly those of Rule 59 of the Olympic Charter.

The following additional specific measures or sanctions may also be applied:

– The deduction of one or several votes (minimum one, maximum five) during the election by the Session, for the first round or for several rounds;

– A fine;

– A reduction in the presentation time of the candidature at the briefing for IOC members or during the Session;

– The Candidate City supporting delegation being prohibited from attending the presentation to the Session;

– The official exclusion of a member of the candidature team;

– Withdrawal of the entry of a consultant in the register for a specific period of time and at least one year;

– A warning together with publication of an official IOC press release sent individually to all the IOC members.

 Appendix

 Rules for the Register of Consultants Participating in the Olympic Games 2024 Candidature Process

 Article 1

All consultants wishing to participate in or support a candidature for the 2024 Olympic Games must be entered in the IOC’s Register of consultants on the list for the city concerned. Entry in the Register is a prerequisite for the provision of any service and/or the signature of any service contract by the NOC and/or the city. Registration in the IOC’s Register of consultants does not constitute any form of endorsement by the IOC.

A consultant is considered to be any individual or company who is not linked by an employment contract to the NOC, the city or the Bidding Committee, and who participates in or supports a candidature by providing consultancy or similar services in any way and at any time.

Article 2

Entry in the Register is made through an undertaking by the consultant to respect the IOC’s ethical principles, the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and its implementing provisions, especially the Rules of Conduct for the Olympic Games Bid Process concerned and the Rules Concerning Conflicts of Interests.

The consultant binds him/herself personally for his/her activities, as well as for the activities of any person acting on his/her behalf or on behalf of his/her company.

Article 3

Such undertaking is made by following the electronic entry procedure accessible on the IOC website: http://www.olympic.org/bidding-for-the-games/. The Ethics and Compliance Office is responsible for keeping and making known the Register of consultants for the Olympic Games 2024 Candidature Process.

Article 4

Any failure to respect the IOC’s ethical principles, the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and its implementing provisions, especially the Rules of Conduct for the Olympic Games Bid Process concerned and the Rules Concerning Conflicts of Interests, may lead to sanctions as specified in article 14 of the Rules of Conduct, in particular withdrawal from the Register by the IOC Executive Board. The procedure to re-enter the Register may take place only after the deadline specified by the Executive Board, and after at least one year.